HALIDE SALAM

RADFORD UNIVERSITY / RADFORD, VIRGINIA

Artist's Statement

Pigment, grounded rocks, oil and resin are the materials in painting that is both liberating and limiting. The films of paint as membrane and strata have been expressive throughout my work, alluding to the changing nature of life itself, its existential mutability. The organic elasticity of the medium with light- energy as a source of inspiration is intimately connected to my search for a sense of place and recognition central in the human condition.

Land, memory and renewal in which light- energy as a metaphor for human perseverance are explored to transcend enclosure and the finite to what is infinite and unbroken. I investigate this duality of form and meaning through ‘stream of consciousness’ writings, tying my memories and experiences to my changing physical surroundings to find a place of rest.

As a child, I witnessed a culture deeply immersed in the forces of Nature, ancient rituals and patterned structures. While these inform the imageries in my work, it is my musical training that has contributed to the painting process – connecting through rhythm and tone, the created object and the subjective hand to the textural energy present in all living phenomenon. It is through the experience of painting that I acquire a sense of place, and a primal and holistic understanding of what it means to be a part of a natural force and find validity. As I paint, the process reaffirms my belief in the potential of all living things to evolve, adapt and change.

Bio

I received my Masters of Art in Painting and Drawing from New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico, and Ph.D in Fine Arts, Studio from Texas Tech University and presently teach at Radford University, Radford, Virginia. I studied Sacred Geometry and Sacred Art Traditions under the famed Geometer, Keith Critchlow, Director of Kairos and The Royal College of Art, England UK. My book, Between Two Spaces: Reflections on the Spiritual in Art, was published by Pocahontas Press in January of 2008, and was nominated for the 2008 National Book Award in Non-Fiction. The book traces the intellectual and spiritual development of a visual artist living between two cultures. I have been painting and exhibiting my works in national and international galleries and museums, and have won numerous awards in painting. I have presented lectures and papers on art and art history as well as workshops in painting and drawing during my teaching career, within and outside the United States.